5o6 
THROUGH ASIA 
(2i°9 C.) at five o’clock in the afternoon; at the same 
hour the temperature of the air was 77°9 Fahr. ( 2 5° 5 C.). 
Water - spiders and beetles were very numerous. The 
latter hummed about over the plain, and off went the hens 
in chase of them. The first of the sheep was slaughtered 
here with the usual ceremonies ; and the dogs got a good 
meal out of the blood and offal. In a word, considering 
it was the desert, the place was quite idyllic. The sun 
disappeared from sight in the dust-haze, whilst still twenty 
degrees above the horizon ; thereupon the heat decreased 
with marvellous rapidity. By nine o’clock at night the 
temperature of the spring water had fallen to 59°4 Fahr. 
(i5°2 C.), proving that its temperature varied directly with 
the temperature of the air. 
This pleasant camping-ground tempted us to give up a 
day to rest, which was equally welcome to us human beings 
as to the animals. We all enjoyed a good long sleep, and 
spent the next day in putting several things in order : the 
water-tanks were filled up, clothes were washed, saddles 
and straps mended. The day turned out hot, the sand 
becoming heated to ii2°3 Fahr. (44°6 C.). But two or 
three whirlwinds came up out of the north-north-east, and 
cooled the air splendidly ; whilst without any reproach of 
conscience we could drink as much water as ever we liked. 
As for the camels and dogs, they drank so much that you 
could actually see their skins swelling out. The rest also 
suited the hens : they managed to lay four eggs. During 
the night the dogs barked incessantly, and kept running 
back along the route by which we had come, and on which 
we had seen the tracks of the wild camels. No doubt the 
denizens of the desert were accustomed to frequent the 
springs during the night ; but finding us in possession of 
the place they kept theniselves at a safe distance for that 
night. 
On April i6th we did i6f miles, through a country 
where sand-dunes fifteen or sixteen feet high alternated 
with steppes of withered reeds, which “crunched” under 
the camels’ feet and sent up little clouds of dust when 
trodden upon. Tamarisks and poplars occurred in 
